INSTITUTE, W.Va. -- West Virginia State battled Glenville State in a Mountain East Conference doubleheader Saturday at Calvin L. Bailey Field, but the Yellow Jackets had to settle for a split after dropping the opener, then rallying late to claim game two.

In the opener, West Virginia State fell 5-3 despite a gritty push in the middle innings. After Glenville jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first, the Yellow Jackets answered in the third when Nate Bittinger scored on Michael Bittinger's sacrifice bunt and Ayden Youngblood came home on a Glenville throwing error to tie the game. Glenville reclaimed control with a three-run fifth, but WVSU refused to go quietly. A Brodie Guenther doubled to spark the sixth, and Aidan Paulsen followed with an RBI double down the left-field line to cut the deficit to two. Paulsen and Guenther each had doubles, while Youngblood and Nate Bittinger added hits. Bryce Eggleton provided two scoreless innings of relief to keep State within striking distance, but Glenville's bullpen closed the door in the seventh.

The Yellow Jackets bounced back in Game 2 with a 5-4 comeback victory, using patience at the plate and taking advantage of Glenville's defensive mistakes in a decisive sixth inning. WVSU trailed 4-2 entering the bottom of the sixth after Glenville had scored in the top half, but the Jackets responded with three runs. Brodie Guenther doubled to start the rally, then Angel Oquendo reached on an error that brought home the first run. Another Glenville throwing error tied the game, and Nate Bittinger was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in the go-ahead run. Ethyn Barnitz powered the offense with a two-run homer in the second and later drew a key walk during the sixth-inning rally. Braylon Moore earned the win after striking out six over six strong innings, and Garrett Wagoner worked through late pressure in the seventh to notch the save and preserve the split for WVSU.

Yellow Jackets and Pioneers are scheduled for another doubleheader tomorrow, April 12 at 1:00 PM.